There's definitely been a ton of growth for me recently. One thing I've been telling everyone about is working over at Bead & Reel, because I'm super proud. I was a little intimidated because the audience was mostly vegan, and I am not, vegan, that is. So I had any number of insecurities pop up about what I know and what I don't know. What I have room to talk about and what I don't. I'm glad I didn't get dragged down by any of that because I have learned and grown so much just from writing my first few articles. The first published one is here. I'm far from perfect in this arena, but everywhere I go I check the origin of the materials and where the items were made. I've basically chosen that if a company is showing some progress in the right direction, I'm down. About two months ago I bought some stuff that was made in the conventional fast fashion way, and it's already fallen apart after just a few washes, which is both a drag and a testament to buying quality things. Either way, I'm converted. I got pretty frustrated looking for a new record player that was made in America. I definitely got lured in by the cute designs, but ultimately chose to stay the course and once I read the reviews on all those cute ones I saw, I realized they'd all fallen into the cute, low-quality b.s., that I'd been buying into for years. Years. And I don't even care about being the annoying person in the store asking where the materials are sourced. I also found a cute record player in America, this one. The reviews are stellar and I cannot wait to listen to all my new Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris records on this. Those reviews also took me from 'I have to' to 'I want to' an important move to make if you want to be genuinely happy about your choices.

Next huge breakthrough for me, the same way the clothing industry is bullshit, the diet industry is as well. It really is and it was proved 66 years ago, and I feel like everyone (especially women, who seem to be most affected) should know. Basically, dieting is making the American public crazy and fat. So agitating. I can't help but go into conspiracy theory mode and figure that there's more profit to be made off of keep up fat, miserable, and wildly disconnected from our bodies, and this includes the clothes we put on them. I learned about that Ancel Keys study from the book The 4-Day Win, which has been life changing in the way I eat, exercise and the way I think about food. It's all much more natural, organic (in method, not necessarily organic food), and easier. I can't really sum it up in a few words, but it's amazing the ways we torture ourselves only to end up more discontent, and disconnected from our bodies, which as a recovering member of this, I don't think anyone deserves. Really, no one deserves to have to be obsessed with what they eat, only to pack it back on because they got too hungry from their "healthy" diet.

So, needless to say, I'm running a little hot from all the new things I've learned. I just think people's good natures and better judgement are being exploited, and frankly it's ruining people's lives. I hate that. I also have some adorable things to share, because as much unnecessary strife, and nonsense we're exposed to, there's still always something beautiful to see—specifically on Pinterest. That's been my experience, anyway. :)

I love this. there are DIY directions and I'm pretty sure I need to make this. source: My Attic

... I'm annoyed at all the cute short hair cuts that I don't presently have. source: The Tides on tumblr

This is super cute and handmade + hand-dyed in Australia. Also, I need it. source: She Makes Me